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ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

 • 

150 Points

Thu, Mar 13, 2014 1:59 PM

Solved

Photoshop: PS CC: Error message "Could not save because write access was not granted"

"Could not save "blah blah.psd" because write access was not granted".
almost every time i try to save something after i've already "saved as" i have to re-save as another name because this error message pops up. WOW that sucks! please help!

Problems

 • 

Updated 

a year ago

564

18

Responses

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

7 years ago

What OS version are you using?

Are you saving to your local disk, or a file server?

Somewhere, you do have a problem with the permissions and don't have access to write the file -- but we'll need to get more information to determine exactly where you have the problem and help you solve it.

0

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

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150 Points

7 years ago

OS info attached.
I am saving to a mapped drive on our server.
This happens almost every time i am in photoshop. It only happens in photoshop. I can create a file, save as, and then keep working on it. Then when i go to hit save after making progress to the document (to the same file) it tells me this error. Additionally, sometimes photoshop will not let me resize a photo. I have to place the photo (without resizing or cropping) then exit out of the file and reopen it for it to allow me to edit, transform, scale.

just bizarre happenings altogether.

2

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chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Which version of Photoshop are you using?
We added a lot of things in Photoshop CC to work around known problems in MacOS fileserver APIs (which Apple has been fixing in MacOS 10.8 and 10.9).

Like

7 years ago

0

david_lebron_6629640

1 Message

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60 Points

elements 9 / imac mavericks os x 10.9.3 (13D65)

Like

6 years ago

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

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150 Points

7 years ago

the latest and greatest, Creative Cloud

1

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chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Again: which specific version? check Help -> System Info.
(Creative Cloud covers everything from 14.0 to 14.2.1)

Like

7 years ago

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

 • 

150 Points

7 years ago

14.2.1

1

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chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

In that case you have all the workarounds we know of for OS and fileserver bugs.

So the remaining problem is either a new OS or fileserver bug, or just plain old permissions mistakes in the location where you are saving. You probably need to get the server administrator's help to figure out what is misconfigured.

Like

7 years ago

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

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150 Points

7 years ago

so if i have the latest version - thats it then?
Then why is it only Photoshop doing it- not any other programs?

2

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chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Photoshop does a lot more error checking for things like this - because we've seen so many OS and third party bugs causing problems. Most applications would ignore such an error, and just fail to save your file.

Things to look for - is the directory open in the Finder (Apple thinks they fixed some of this in 10.9), or is the file being used in another application (we've seen InDesign and Quark hold files open when they shouldn't)?

Like

7 years ago

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

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150 Points

Ok- i will be upgrading to OS X 10.9 Mavericks and ill be in touch. thanks

Like

7 years ago

0

diane_petku

2 Messages

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90 Points

6 years ago

I have the same problem and none of the "fixes" fixed the problem. I'm quite disgusted.

6

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Photoshop is just passing along the error it got from the operating system - and it means that you don't have permission to write to the location to save the file. That is something you have to fix on your own system.

Like

6 years ago

0

diane_petku

2 Messages

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90 Points

How do I do that? It is MY personal external drive, MY personal Mac. I have never had any problems before and now I can't move any photo files onto the external drive.

Like

6 years ago

0

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Check the permissions on the directory where the save failed - somewhere you have a permissions problem such that you cannot write files into that directory.

Like

6 years ago

0

trudell_photographics

1 Message

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60 Points

How?

Like

6 years ago

0

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Open the directory in the Finder or Explorer, check the permissions, and change them if necessary.

Like

6 years ago

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

 • 

150 Points

6 years ago

So why are there not any bugs causing problems with InDesign, for example? My point is, it seems like its a photoshop problem because its the only program where this issue is occurring. I've even upgraded to Mavericks and am still having the same issues.

5

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chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Most other applications don't do as much error checking as Photoshop does when saving files. Photoshop has run into all kinds of problems with OS bugs, fileserver bugs, etc. over the years and added a lot more error checking and reporting. Many other apps would just silently fail to save your file.

Like

6 years ago

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

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150 Points

so my other programs work great- can we just make PS follow suit? If its error checking then tell it to stop...right? My other programs are not failing to save my files at all.

Like

6 years ago

0

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

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195.8K Points

No, you need to fix the permissions problem on your system. The error comes from the operating system, not Photoshop. Photoshop just relays the error to the user.

Like

6 years ago

0

ashleigh_hotz

9 Messages

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150 Points

ok. can you tell me where to fix the permissions on my computer?

Like

6 years ago

0

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

The location you are trying to save to has a problem. But it may not be the current directory, it could also be a parent directory or something in the hierarchy. On MacOS, a frequent mistake is to have permissions enabled on external disks that are used on multiple machines or OS versions - and the user IDs don't match up and thus you don't have the correct permissions. Sometimes this also happens on fileservers where the permissions are based on your local machine ID (ie: not well configured). We've also seen cases where directories copied between disks with different OS versions installed will end up with mis-matched user IDs and cause permission errors.

Like

6 years ago

0

jacek_iwaszko

1 Message

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80 Points

6 years ago

To resolve this problem open a Finder window, right-click on a root folder, and select the “Show View Options” from the fly out menu



This menu will appear next, and all you need to do is un-check the “Show preview column”

This item is turned on by default from Apple, so I am sure many other people would benefit from reading this post.

5

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

That MacOS bug shouldn't give the error message mentioned in this topic. It should give "because the file was in use by another application" (because the Finder is mistakenly keeping the file open and in use while showing thumbnails).

Like

6 years ago

rachel_helson

2 Messages

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70 Points

I've been getting the same write access not granted message since upgrading to latest CC. The above solution seems to have fixed it. An annoying bug though, as I like having the preview on.

Like

6 years ago

0

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

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195.8K Points

Yes, unfortunately we can't directly do anything to fix the OS bug. And we're reporting the error that we got from the OS...

Like

6 years ago

0

rachel_helson

2 Messages

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70 Points

I have since discovered the access not granted message occurs if the file is still selected in finder. go back into finder, unselect it then try saving again and it will work. still annoying, but at least can leave preview on.

Like

5 years ago

0

antoine_fisette

1 Message

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64 Points

That worked for me, thanks! Unfortunately I am stuck with SMB right now.

Like

5 years ago

0

kaio_batista

1 Message

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50 Points

6 years ago

This may look like a fool thing, but check if you are not with the file selected (in blue) on a finder window. Close the finder window, and try to save again.
This worked for me, seriously!

Hope it helps!

0

0

joy_brodie

3 Messages

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80 Points

5 years ago

I have tried to do this fix but I don't even have the show preview column to uptick - feeling very frustrated as this has just happened since re-downloading CC - I am using an external hard drive that is supposed to work with both Mac and Windows - it was working fine with my windows laptop when I was at home.

4

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chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Double check for format of the external drive - it may be set to NTFS, which MacOS can read but not write (without additional software). Or the permissions may be messed up.

Like

5 years ago

0

joy_brodie

3 Messages

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80 Points

yes it is set to NTFS - I bought this drive on the understanding it was interchangeable between both Windows and Mac

Like

5 years ago

0

joy_brodie

3 Messages

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80 Points

It is set to NTFS - is there any way I can save to it from Mac - I have a MacBook Air for use when travelling and had hoped to be able to edit photos on the move but want to use my Windows computer when home for doing a final slideshow

Like

5 years ago

0

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

You would have to buy third party software to allow writing to NTFS.
Your quickest and safest approach is to copy the data off the drive, reformat the drive to something that works for both platforms, and copy the data back.

Like

5 years ago

0

molly_long_7355944

3 Messages

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80 Points

5 years ago

I am saving photos from my PC then moving them via a Seagate external drive to my Mac to edit in PSCC15 and am getting this message about not having write access. Is this because of permissions on the Seagate drive?

0

0

molly_long_7355944

3 Messages

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80 Points

5 years ago

I am saving photos from a PC to a Seagate external drive then trying to open and edit them in PSCC15 on my Mac. Same message "could not save because write access was not granted." Is this because of permissions on the Seagate drive?

0

0

molly_long_7355944

3 Messages

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80 Points

5 years ago

I am using OS X Yosemite 10.10.2
Thanks!

1

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chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Install the MacOS updates to pick up all their latest bug fixes.

Yes, the error is most likely due to permissions on the Seagate drive, or possibly the formatting (ie: NTFS format can be read, but not written to by MacOS).

Like

5 years ago

0

stanislava_georgieva

1 Message

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60 Points

5 years ago

My user had the same problem and finally I fixed it by using view different from Cascading

Look at this tread:

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questi...

0

0

natalie_mair

1 Message

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60 Points

5 years ago

I have a problem. I think everybody I've seen has a different Apple Mac to me. I have an Apple Macbook Air, not quite sure which version. And when I try to fix the issue it doesn't go away. I just barely installed Photoshop the day I wrote this comment and it's making me a little uneasy. This is a project I've been working on forever and well, Photoshop's not letting me continue! Please help, what do I do?

1

0

chris_cox_2148894

15.1K Messages

 • 

195.8K Points

Either you don't have permission to save to that location, or something is wrong with the volume that you are saving to.

Photoshop is just passing along information from the OS which says that you do not have permission to write to that location.

You need to fix the permissions on that location, or otherwise figure out why the OS is preventing you from saving to that location.

Like

5 years ago

0

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